# Ohio Smoking Ban



## fsjonsey (May 23, 2008)

Ugh. I know this happened a year ago, but I'm still steamed. A little background. There were two separate smoking ban issues on the ballot in 2006, SmokeFree Ohio, a Draconian, extremely restrictive bill banning smoking in all public places, including 25ft from doorways outdoors, sponsored by the American Cancer society, and SmokeLess Ohio, a less restrictive bill that still allowed smoking in bars and some restaurants that had separate, closed off smoking areas. However, the smoke less bill was sponsored by several tobacco companies, which lead to a field day in the local media and an easy target for ACS propaganda. Political ads and general misinformation were spread implying you had to vote for one bill or the other, but not against both. As everyone knows by now, the ACS bill passed, and yet another of our freedoms went out the window.


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

While the smoking bans that are being passed are a inconvenience for us, the real people who are loosing their freedoms are the property owners. As as patrons in bars, restaurants, etc., we never had the right to be able to smoke we had the privilege that was allowed to us by the owner. 

The lobbyist are saying that everyone has the right to breath without suffering the ill effects of second hand smoke. I don't think anyone ever forced someone else into a job where they were under these conditions. Actually people chose to work under those conditions because they could make pretty good cash.


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## fsjonsey (May 23, 2008)

Commander Quan said:


> While the smoking bans that are being passed are a inconvenience for us, the real people who are loosing their freedoms are the property owners. As as patrons in bars, restaurants, etc., we never had the right to be able to smoke we had the privilege that was allowed to us by the owner.
> 
> The lobbyist are saying that everyone has the right to breath without suffering the ill effects of second hand smoke. I don't think anyone ever forced someone else into a job where they were under these conditions. Actually people chose to work under those conditions because they could make pretty good cash.


Exactly. I've seen a number of small local bars close their doors since the ban was put in place. What happened to the rights of the owners to choose what would be allowed in their establishments? Heck, even our mechanic got fined because someone saw him smoking a cigarette in his garage and snitched on him.


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## kamcma-cl (May 30, 2008)

Hey, relatively new BOTL here. I didn't smoke before this Ohio Smoking Ban happened, so I didn't really pay attention at the time, and don't know the details of exactly what passed. If anyone is familiar with the details, I would love to know the answers to some questions:

1) Can we smoke in public parks?

2) How about if that park is attached to a school? I only ask because the park closest to my house is part of an elementary school. Not that I would ever dream of going there while there were students present, but school is now out for the summer and the whole place sits empty most of the time, just begging me to sit on a bench and smoke ...


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## Da Klugs (Jan 8, 2005)

Sucks balls!

A few places have figured out how to deal with it.

Quaker Steak built a purpose built facility in Sheffield, Lorain county next to their restaurant. Only has 1 wall. Other 3 are open but have the steel garage door type "awnings" that they can close one of depending on wind direction. Outside they have glass walls 6 feet high about 2 feet from the building on all three open sides. Leaves a foot or 2 open space under the overhang. Lots of expense .. but year round smoking environment.

Green roofed building to the right is the leagal smoking facility.

http://www.quakersteakandlube.com/d...sheffield&fldPageType=gallery&f=67&l=12&p=521


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## fsjonsey (May 23, 2008)

Da Klugs said:


> Sucks balls!
> 
> A few places have figured out how to deal with it.
> 
> ...


I'm seeing these "smoking Pavilions" popping up at pretty much every establishment that has the space to build one. Some are even heated. I wonder how long it will be until the health department deems these in violation of the ban and starts clamping down. Don't we have better things to spend taxpayer money on enforcing?


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## ChasDen (Dec 12, 2007)

Da Klugs said:


> Leaves a foot or 2 open space under the overhang. Lots of expense .. but *year round smoking environment.*
> 
> Green roofed building to the right is the leagal smoking facility.
> 
> http://www.quakersteakandlube.com/d...sheffield&fldPageType=gallery&f=67&l=12&p=521


I have seen that getting off the freeway but never been close enough to get a good look.

They use it year around? Or just in the summer months?

Chas


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## Bigga Petey (Mar 25, 2005)

phhttt!

Joe's Bar in Put In Bay two year ago sold cigars. I was a willing participant in some commmerce regarding the same.
This past Saturday, Joe threw me out for coming in with a lit cigar in spite of my ingorance of the law, profuse apologies, and a promise to immediately comply to the new law.

It sucks. 
I don't blame Joe either. He has to make a living within the parameters set by new police state. 


once again... phhttt!


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## sames (Oct 23, 2007)

At my store we have about 5-10 employees who smoke. Although my father does not smoke, everyone else in the office does. Each person has their own office with a door, and rarely do people come into each others offices. Why lie? We started enforcing the ban after the law passed but eventually realized that the public never goes into the office section, nor do they see it. We became lax on it and things are as they were before the law passed.

I have seen a decent amount of garages and smaller companies ignoring the law mainly because they do not deal with the public. Some things that have shocked me are the bars (a couple in Akron) where the public is obviously allowed, and they completely ignore the smoking ban.

I have seen signs in bars that basically say "Cigars and pipes not allowed, cigarettes welcome." Keep in mind that ALL smoking is banned, but the owners are allowing cigarettes. It doesnt make sense to me, and this entire post is random, but it is just some general observations of how I see some people handling this.


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## smokepiper (Jan 16, 2006)

There was a great story out of New York about the smoking ban's limitations. It doesn't include theatrical productions. So smokes are props for a performance piece called before the ban. The state was trying to figure out how to close the loophole, but last I'd heard had not. 

Perhaps every bar should have dinner theatre every night. 

Never underestimate an undereducated public.

D


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